


Worthy of Love

by Anonymous



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Gen, Non-Binary Byleth Eisner, Post-Blue Lions Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:42:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26569753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: And then Byleth vanished.Of course, they settled their responsibilities as Lady Rhea’s appointed heir, but when Dimitri next inquired Seteth about the Professor, the man had stared back at him with a dawning realization.“Were you not informed?”
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Blue Lions Students, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22
Collections: Anonymous





	Worthy of Love

**Author's Note:**

> _Cyril voice_ “...and you don't understand you gotta love yourself before someone else can love ya back.”

When Dimitri had invited the Professor to the Goddess Tower, it had been with a ring in his hand and his heart in his throat.

When he left the tower alone, he still held that ring, slightly misshapen within his grip. His heart had sunk far deeper.

And then the Professor vanished.

He had not been aware of it. When he assumed the role of king of the united continent, he quickly realized how unprepared he was for many of the responsibilities it entailed. Reconstruction of the towns and cities destroyed, aid for the common folk most heavily affected by the war, reestablishment of governmental structures in the unruly former Imperial lands- they were all tasks he was unsure how to approach. As he worked to start the road to recovery, it struck him how all of these sorts of duties and decisions had been entirely taken on by the Professor during the course of the war with the aid of Seteth and Gilbert- now again Gustave. 

While he himself had begun to lead the army as a commander in the end of the war, with a growing sense of guilt he realized how much the Professor had done for him. For all of them. So when he saw Seteth for the first time since he had returned to Fhirdiad after the end of the war, the first thing he did was ask, “How is the Professor? Are they well?”

The man stared at him in confusion at the question, opening and closing his mouth before finally responding, “Your majesty… were you not informed?”

* * *

“... and considering how we won the war for what used to be the Alliance, it is only appropriate they should be more cooperative with our rebuilding efforts.”

Hilda looked impatient but as she was about to retort, Marianne placed a hand on the woman's arm, silencing her before standing before the kingdom noble addressing them. “While I understand your stance, you must also understand that we ourselves are still rebuilding as well. While our lands were not as heavily damaged as that of the kingdom’s, the crop harvest has not been particularly plentiful in the last six years and the Alliance cannot simply agree to give over what resources we have when we ourselves are still struggling to recuperate.”

“ _ Like I said _ ,” Hilda chimed in, “You can’t just expect the two of us to make the decisions for everyone in the Alliance. You need to call in all the major nobles and get them to agree and  _ compromise _ .”

The man sniffed, “The former Alliance was happy to obey and accept the Kingdom forces when we fought the war for you but now-”

A murmur of discontent had arisen among some of the other kingdom officials gathered in the room, but when Gustave attempted to mediate, both he and the noble were cut off by the slam of Hilda’s hands on the table as she stood. 

It wasn’t often someone angered Hilda Valentine Goneril but her eyes were murderous as she coldly replied, “Don’t talk like we didn’t fight. Like we didn’t try to protect our friends. The only reason we’re here  _ at all _ is because of Claude. Not your king.”

“Hilda!” Marianne hissed as she grabbed the woman’s arm as the noble and many others spluttered in outrage.

“I- How  _ dare you _ \- !”

“I am sorry to interrupt.”

He snapped his mouth shut as the king swept open the conference room doors. In the silence of the room, King Dimitri’s gaze swept over the assembled group before settling on Marianne. “I am sorry,” he apologized again, “But I need to speak with Lady Edmund.”

“I think we were all due for a break,” Gustave sighed , releasing the tension in the room as many officials skittered out of the room and away from Hilda as quickly as possible.

Hilda for her part slumped into her seat with a loud groan before reaching out to entangle Marianne’s hand in hers. With her free hand, Marianne brushed Hilda’s bangs from her eyes with a fond smile before looking up at Dimitri. “What is it, your majesty?”

He looked at them for a moment too long before glancing away, suddenly feeling out of place. “Ah, I wanted to speak alone. If you don’t mind.”

“Of course not,” Marianne said as she ignored Hilda’s whine of protest as she stood as she untangled their hands and gestured out to the halls. “Shall we?”

Dimitri noddly stiffly before leading them down the halls to a separate room for privacy. He tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling he felt as he noticed the delicate bracelet on Marianne’s wrist or the glint of a handcrafted ring on her finger or her soft giggle when Hilda shouted after them, “Bring back some tea!”

His fist tightened, but this time there was nothing in his grip.

* * *

“I was told that the Professor asked you to take their place as archbishop?”

Marianne blinked in surprise at his abrupt question but nodded. “Yes, they asked but… I declined. I don’t think I could lead the faith in the way people need…. Or the way Lady Rhea or the Professor could.”

He didn’t turn around, but continued looking out the windows. Winter was setting in, and in less than a moon, Fhirdiad would be coated in blankets of snow. It was the same as it always had been for the city, a sight Dimitri had seen so many times and yet.

“Um… your majesty? Is something wrong?” Marianne asked tentatively. “Why are you asking about the Professor? That was moons ago.”

“They never told me,” Dimitri sighed as he finally turned to face her. “That they wanted to leave. That they were going away.”

Marianne said nothing for a few moments, taking in the clear regret, sadness, and the hint of anger hanging over the man she came to befriend. And she stepped forward and took his hands in hers.

“Your majesty, do you have a dream?”

“A dream?” He parroted, unsure.

“Something you want for yourself. Not for anyone else’s sake but your own. A dream,” she pressed.

“I want…”  _ To bring peace. To rebuild Duscur. _

_ To atone.  _

“I wish to atone for the suffering I have inflicted, the countless, pointless deaths my actions caused. I want…”

“Is that something you want for your own sake? Or is it to ease the pain of others?” Marianne asked. “There is nothing wrong with wanting something for yourself. T-the Professor told me that they had a dream.”

Dimitri’s eyes flicked up to hers. “They did?”

She nodded. “They did, but when I declined the role, they seemed resigned in giving it up. They didn’t like it, you know.”

Dimitri numbly nodded. It was no secret that the Professor had felt out of place taking the role Lady Rhea had vacated. Everyone knew it, and yet he had never said anything. Had simply assumed that they would continue supporting them all from that position and yet.

“Then why did they leave?”

“Don’t you want the Professor to be happy?”

Dimitri balked. “...were they not happy?” 

The war had ended. While stability was still a ways off, peace had settled. And yet.

Marianne shook her head. “They wanted us to be happy and maybe that would have been enough for them. But we wanted them to be happy too and we didn’t want them to worry over us anymore, so we pushed them to leave.”

When he did not respond, Marianne continued, squeezing his gloved hands. “I don’t know why they didn’t tell you, but I think you should talk to the others. I wasn’t the only one the Professor spoke to.”

“I-I see,” he murmured as she dropped his hands to carefully pull him into a loose embrace.

“The Professor cared about all of us deeply. Please don’t forget the kindness they always showed to us. I am sure there is a reason.”

When she pulled away, she smiled slightly at him. There was still a storm brewing in his eyes but they were clearer now. For his part, he forced a small smile in return. 

“I’m sure that the meeting should be restarting soon. I will send some tea for you and Hilda.”

She laughed slightly at that before taking the arm he offered. “Thank you, your majesty. No… thank you, Dimitri.”


End file.
